Donations by Credit Unions

Army Aviation Center Federal Credit Union, Daleville, Ala., raised nearly $112,000 during its annual golf tournament to benefit Fort Rucker’s Army Emergency Relief Fund campaign. More than 120 golfers supported the event. AER is the Army’s emergency financial assistance program dedicated to helping active and retired soldiers. Fort Rucker’s AER campaign will provide loans and grants to soldiers, retirees, family members and survivors. AACFCU donated $15,000 from this year’s golf tournament to help support the campaign. AACFCU also received a $1,500 grant from Armed Forces Financial Network, which was included in the $15,000 donation.

Belco Community Credit Union, Harrisburg, Pa., donated $1,400 to the American Cancer Society. Through the ACS Daffodil Days program, employees purchased $1,057 in daffodil orders. The program offers daffodils to donors every spring in appreciation for their contributions. In addition, Belco employees also held a chili cook-off to raise donations for the ACS. Nine employees participated and raised an additional $227. Belco employees also donated $3 each Friday to wear jeans in March, collecting an additional $105. All donations went to the ACS in the Harrisburg, Gettysburg and Lancaster areas.

CorePlus Federal Credit Union, donated $3,350 after holding its third “Unsung Heroes Recognition” event on WINY Radio’s Morning Show with host “Gary O” in Putnam, Conn. This event has members of the listening audience call in to name an unsung hero in their community or someone who may have had a special impact on their life. For every call received, CorePlus then donated $25 toward the local charity of the caller’s choice in the hero’s name. One hundred and thirty-four callers named their unsung heroes and the money was donated to more than 60 local nonprofit and charitable organizations.

Educational Community Credit Union, Kalamazoo, Mich., will be making it possible to send two children to Great Lakes Burn Camp, thanks to a staff donation drive that raised a total of $1,111. Credit union staff donated a minimum of $3 to wear jeans each Friday throughout the month of June for the Comstock Daze Committee, who donated all Comstock Daze event proceeds to Great Lakes Burn Camp. The camp supports children who are burn survivors by placing them in a relaxed environment to heal and meet other kids. The Summer Session Burn Camp is held every August at Pretty Lake Vacation Camp in Mattawan, Mich. Children are encouraged to participate in games, sports, and arts and crafts to build self-esteem and teach new skills.

Idaho Credit Union League, Boise, Idaho, donated nearly $184,000 to children’s hospitals through the Credit Unions for Kids program. The funds were distributed to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho ($69,797), Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City ($90,599), and Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho ($32,919). The money benefits sick or injured children from Idaho and uses the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as their charity of choice. Idaho credit unions have now raised nearly $2.5 million during their 17 year relationship with the charity.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Lowell, Mass., raised more than $12,500 for the general hospital’s TeamWalk for Cancer Care. More than 100 people from Jeanne D’Arc joined in the walk to raise money for the hospital. TeamWalk funds help Lowell general hospital’s Cancer Care Center pay for medication, nutritional supplements, nursing visits and other services used to help people living with cancer.

Kitsap Credit Union, Bremerton, Wash., presented the Silverdale, Wash., YMCA with a $7,000 donation for their Strong Kids Campaign. The campaign focuses on strengthening local communities through youth development, recreation and homework assistance.

MAFCU Federal Credit Union, Brookline, Mass., donated $1,500 to the American Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter to assist those affected by last year’s tornadoes in western Massachusetts. The money was raised through MAFCU’s ongoing voluntary casual dress fundraiser. Participating employees contribute from their own funds when they choose to wear casual business attire. Donations are made on a weekly basis. Past casual dress donations include Partner In Health (through MAFCU’s Cover Haiti with Love), Mercy Corps, Greater Boston Sickle Cell Disease Association, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Jeffrey Modell Foundation.

Members 1st Federal Credit Union, Mechanicsburg, Pa., recently gave $10,000 to the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Funds were raised from Members 1st’s participation in the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, an event that benefits Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. Known as the “Runner’s Rite of Spring,” the 40th race took place in April with over 15,000 runners competing. Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. has sponsored the run for 11 years to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. In 2012, credit unions raised a combined $515,000 to help bring the 11-year total amount of funds donated to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to more than $5.5 million.

NEFCU, Westbury, N.Y., raised more than $12,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s one-week summer camp program. The program gives children with neuromuscular diseases the chance to experience the joys of summer camp. During the month of May, all visitors to NEFCU branches were asked to make a donation of $1 to $5. Donors were recognized in the branches by the hanging of personalized “Make a Muscle” cut-outs on the wall. This is NEFCU’s eighth year supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s summer camp program and, to date, NEFCU has raised more than $90,000 for the cause. Muscular Dystrophy Association is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research.

Security Service Federal Credit Union, San Antonio, contributed $9,500 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s “Great Strides” walk through its Security Service Charitable Foundation. The donation will help support cystic fibrosis research.

Shell Federal Credit Union,Deer Park, Texas, recently donated more than $1,600 to the Arthritis Foundation through its Furthering Community Unity Team. The FCU Teamraised money by asking staff to pay to wear jeans on Thursdays, raffling off prime parking spots and selling candy grams.